DOUGH IT YOURSELF

YOUR HOLIDAY SECRET WEAPONS ARE ONLY A GROCERY RUN AWAY. USE PREPARED PIE CRUST, PHYLLO, AND PUFF PASTRY TO HELP LIGHTEN THE LOAD OF SEASONAL BAKING AND TURN OUT TREATS THAT COULD HOLD THEIR OWN IN THE BAKERY CASE.

- NATALIE MECHEM

Mille-Feuilles

HANDS-ON 20 MIN TOTAL 1 HR, 10 MIN MAKES 4 SUBMITTED BY CHEF JOHN

Also known as Napoleons, this classic French dessert layers puff pastry with cream filling. Pricking the pastry and weighing it down keeps it from rising during baking for thin, crispy sheets.

1 (17.3-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry dough (2 sheets), thawed

2 tsp. white sugar

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for garnish

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste Pinch of salt

½ cup whipping cream

2 cups fresh raspberries (halved if large), plus more for garnish

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line an extra

large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. On a lightly floured surface, unfold

1. pastry sheet. Gently press seams together with your fingers. Cut dough in half to form

2. (5x9-inch) rectangles. Cut each rectangle in thirds to form 6 (3x5-inch) rectangles total. Put rectangles on prepared baking sheet. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp. white sugar.

3. Cover pastry with parchment paper. Put another baking sheet on top to apply pressure to pastry while it bakes. Bake 12 minutes. Remove baking sheet and gently peel off parchment. Continue baking until pastry is browned, 4 to 5 minutes more.

4. Transfer pastry to a wire rack; let cool. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 with remaining pastry sheet and 1 tsp. white sugar (replace parchment if the first one is oily).

5. For cream filling, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until combined. Add cream. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Spoon into a piping bag with an open tip or a zip-top plastic bag with a ½ -inch corner snipped off.